Surface game disc element

ABSTRACT

A surface game disc element, for use as a piece in the play of a disc game on a relatively smooth surface, having novel structural features to facilitate the self-returning of the disc element to an upright, play position and reducing the tendency thereof to flip onto an obverse side, to bounce, or to otherwise move in a skew manner, and to further facilitate the interchange of parts thereof after use and wear to enable continued used of the element.

United States Patent DeCepoli et al. 1451 Jan. 9, 1973 1541 SURFACE GAME DISC ELEMENT 2,695,174 11 1954 Cusano ..273 12& R

[76] Inventors: Carmen Dec 6P0, lll Heckel FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Street, Bellevllle, NJ. 07109; Edward C. D c l l 1 Aldon 173,441 1955 Switzerland .....273/l28 CS race, Bloomfield, NJ. 07003 Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Flledi June 23, 1970 Assistant Examiner-Theatrice Brown [21] APPL No: 49,115 AttorneySommers & Sommers [57] ABSTRACT A Surface g disc element for use as a piece in the I p y of a disc g on a relatively Smooth surface, [58] Field of Search ..273/ 126, 128 CS having novel Structural features to facilitate the Self returning of the disc element to an upright, play posi- [56] Reerences cued tion and reducing the tendency thereof to flip onto an UNITED STATES PATENTS obverse side, to bounce, or to otherwise move in a skew manner, and to further facilitate the interchange 2,223,271 11/1940 Robinson ..273/l28 CS of parts thereof after use and wear to enable con- Beal R tinned used of the element 2,878,023 3/1959 DeCepoli ..273/l28 R 336,179 2/1886 Vogelsang ..273/126 R 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures P ENI nm 9192s 3. 709.496

sum 1 or 2 nil ATTORNEYS PATENTEUJAN 9 I975 SHEET 2 BF 2 INVENTORS CARMINE oecepou EDWARD c. DECEPOLI WWW ATTORNEYS SURFACE GAME DISC ELEMENT BACKGROUND OF INVENTION This invention relates generally to a surface game play element, and more specifically relates to a disc element which is adapted to be utilized conveniently and efficiently as a piece in the play of the surface game, and to be reusable even after long wear upon simplified and convenient interchange of parts thereof.

Pursuant to the invention, in the play of a surface game involving the use of game pieces on a relatively smooth surface, such as in the game of deck shuffleboard, the surface game disc element is adapted to facilitate ease of play by virtue of its capacity to roll into an upright position, thereby reducing the skewmovement often associated with such pieces and reducing the need for bending over and uprighting an overturned piece, to thereby increase the convenience, safety and efficiency of play of the game, and further comprises connection means therein to enable simplified and convenient removal and replacement of worn parts thereof to provide for continued use of the element.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The invention is diagramatically illustrated, by way of example, in the appended drawings, wherein similar reference characters indicate like parts, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view, taken on line l1 of FIG. 3,

FIG. 2 is a top fragmentary view of a base discshaped member which may be utilized in connection with the invention,

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the surface game disc element of the invention, and

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As will be seen from the drawings, forming a part hereof, this invention relates to a surface game disc element, as described below with reference generally to FIG. I, which provides a self-returning uprighting surface for efficiency and safety of game play, and which further provides connection means which facilitate interchangeability of parts for convenient replacement thereof.

The surface game disc element 11 (FIG. 4 for example, is comprised of a generally hemispherically shaped member 12 and a base disc-shaped member 13 (which may, for example, be comprised of a single unitary element instead of two members interconnected).

The hemispherically shaped member 12 (FIGS. l, 3 and 4) comprises, for example, a curved exterior surface 20, a handle portion 21 with finger grips 22, a cavity portion 23, a bottom threaded projecting connector portion 24 with threads 25 thereon and interior cavity 26 therein, and bottom projecting interface grips 27 on a bottom rim segment 28 thereof.

The base disc-shaped member 13 (FIGS. 1 and 2) for example, is comprised of a top central cavity portion 30, threads 31 on the side walls 32 thereof, a smooth bottom surface 33, and interface grip recesses 34 on a top rim segment 35 thereof.

In operation, the base disc-shaped member 13, FIG. 1, (which may, for example, comprise a standard shuffleboard disc modified by the machining of threads 31 and recesses 34 therein) is thread-connected, for example, to hemispherically shaped member 12, by interconnection of corresponding thread portions 25, 31 in top projecting connector 24 and base central cavity side walls 32 respectively, and the members are locked together by interfitting lock connection of interface grips 27 into interface recesses 34; the surface game disc 11 is then ready for use in a suitable play of the game, as for example, in a deck shuffleboard game. During the course of play of the game, the disc elements are propelled along the playing surface, after initial movement is generated by virtue of force applied to a stick or other movement-impelling device, and the disc elements move along the surface until friction causes loss of momentum and the element comes to rest. The disc element of prior devices moved in skew directions and flipped over by virtue of imbalanced force exerted thereon or by virtue of contact with other discs or objects; the disc element of this invention will roll along its curved exterior surface 20 upon imbalanced force exerted thereon or on contact with other play elements, until it comes to rest in an upright position on its smooth bottom surface 33. This feature of the invention greatly facilitates the play and enjoyment of a surface disc play action game and eases the disc rest-position and skew movement problems encountered during play of the game by the players, particularly elderly persons, for example, or others who find bending down to correct the disc position or movement an unsafe and uncomfortable procedure, as well as the players who find skew movement and flip-side rest position movement an inconvenience and annoyance to the play of the game. The internally threaded-engagement and interface engagement of the disc members keeps the pieces locked together even during the jostling and bumping which the discs frequently encounter in the play of the game from bumping into other discs or traversing rough surfaces.

To replace the base disc-shaped member 13, which would tend to wear out more quickly thanthe hemispherically shaped member 12 by virtue of the greater contact with its sideand bottom slide surfaces, or to replace the hemispherically shaped member 12, itself, the player unthreads the members to thereby disconnect same and threads the new replacement member to the non-worn member to constitute a reusable disc element. If the members wear out, therefor, from use or otherwise simplified replacement can be effectuated without requiring the discarding of the entire element.

The hemispherically shaped member 12 can be colored to distinguish team disc elements, and the weight of the members of the disc element can be controlled by selection of the materials used or by machining to provide standard competition weight for the surface game disc element.

While the present invention has been particularly set forth in terms of specific embodiments thereof, it will be evident in view of the instant disclosure, that nu merous variations upon the invention are now enabled to those skilled in the art, which variations in propriety are yet within the true scope of this teaching. Accordingly, the invention is to be broadly construed, and limited only by the scope and spirit of the claims now appended hereto.

Iclaim:

l. A surface game disc element, for use as a piece in the play of a disc-movement play-action game on a sur face, which comprises a hemispherically shaped member, having a curved exterior top surface including a handle portion integral with the curved exterior top surface and conforming to the curved exterior top surface thereof further comprising a base disc-shaped member, including a flat bottom surface for slideable game-play action movement of the element on a surface, and a top central cavity portion, and having an outer surface coextensive with the curved exterior top surface, and the hemispherically shaped member comprising a top portion, and further comprising interconnection means, for interconnection to the base disc member for movement therewith as a unitary element in the play of the game, which comprises a bottom projecting connection portion for interconnection with the base disc-shaped member, thereby providing a selfreturning uprighting capability and a handling capability to the element upon rolling on the curved surface to a rest position on the flat bottom surface of the base disc-shaped member.

2. In a surface game disc element as described in claim 1, said hemispherically shaped member further comprising projecting interface grip portions on the bottom rim segment thereof, and said base disc-shaped member further comprising corresponding interface grip recesses on the top rim segment thereof.

3. In a surface game disc element as described in claim 2, said hemispherically shaped top member handle portion further comprising finger grips on the bottom surface thereof.

4. In a surface game disc element as described in claim 3, said hemispherically shaped top member projecting connection portion further comprising threads on the outer surface thereof, and said base disc-shaped member central cavity portion further comprising corresponding threads on the walls thereof. 

1. A surface game disc element, for use as a piece in the play of a disc-movement play-action game on a surface, which comprises a hemispherically shaped member, having a curved exterior top surface including a handle portion integral with the curved exterior top surface and conforming to the curved exterior top surface thereof further comprising a base disc-shaped member, including a flat bottom surface for slideable game-play action movement of the element on a surface, and a top central cavity portion, and having an outer surface coextensive with the curved exterior top surface, and the hemisphericAlly shaped member comprising a top portion, and further comprising interconnection means, for interconnection to the base disc member for movement therewith as a unitary element in the play of the game, which comprises a bottom projecting connection portion for interconnection with the base disc-shaped member, thereby providing a self-returning uprighting capability and a handling capability to the element upon rolling on the curved surface to a rest position on the flat bottom surface of the base disc-shaped member.
 2. In a surface game disc element as described in claim 1, said hemispherically shaped member further comprising projecting interface grip portions on the bottom rim segment thereof, and said base disc-shaped member further comprising corresponding interface grip recesses on the top rim segment thereof.
 3. In a surface game disc element as described in claim 2, said hemispherically shaped top member handle portion further comprising finger grips on the bottom surface thereof.
 4. In a surface game disc element as described in claim 3, said hemispherically shaped top member projecting connection portion further comprising threads on the outer surface thereof, and said base disc-shaped member central cavity portion further comprising corresponding threads on the walls thereof. 